FEI World Pair Driving Championship, Warka (POL), 29 August - 2 September 2007

Germany’s top pair driver Sebastian Warneck has taken the lead in the individual standings of the FEI World Pair Driving Championship in Warka, Poland. The reigning German Champion presented a wonderful test on the first dressage day and none of the remaining competitors were able to beat his top score of 39,42 points today. Dutch lady driver Mieke van Tergouw, World Champion in Poznan, Poland in 1995 took the second place scoring 41,73 points. Austria’s Georg Moser, the 1993 World Champion, came third.
The Netherlands has taken the lead in the nations competition, ahead of Hungary and Germany.

Warneck, a 24-year old law student from Dabendorf-Berlin, was very pleased with his performance: ‘I have to thank my horses, because they did this for me. I only drove this pair, the Dutch Warm blood geldings Condor and Wallegro, for the third time in dressage together. One of my elder horses did not pass the veterinary inspection at the international driving competition in Riesenbeck two months ago and I was forced to compete with this pair. Wallegro did extremely well and I decided to continue driving dressage with him.’
Warneck is hoping to make up for his 2005 World Championship result when he was on silver after dressage and marathon. He then lost his chances to a medal in the final obstacle driving competition.

Mieke van Tergouw was driving her pair of young KWPN geldings and was happy with her performance: ‘One of my horses was a little unconcentrated by the applause when we entered the arena, but apart from some minor mistakes I am very pleased with my test.’ Van Tergouw is realistic about tomorrow’s marathon: ‘I have to miss my main marathon horse because he had a minor injury and was not fit to compete. My marathon pair is young and I am looking beyond this Championship. I will go for it for sure, but I will not take any unnecessary risks. My goal is to finish properly to make sure that my dressage score will stay for the team result. A team medal is as much worth to me as an individual medal.’

Georg Moser sold his top pair after the World Pair Driving Championship 2005 to Poland’s team member Adrian Kostrzewa, who is trained by Austria’s Mr. Fahrsport Albert Pointl. Moser is in his first season with his new six-year-old horses and was pleased to come third. ‘I cannot preview exactly how my horses will react in tomorrow’s marathon, which is very technical. My biggest opponents in the marathon are Sebastian Warneck and Hungary’s Karoly Hodi, who is currently in fourth position after dressage.’

Barnaby Bowman from Great Britain caused a surprise by scoring 48,38 points and taking the sixth position. The youngest son of the legendary UK four-in-hand driver George Bowman lend two horses from his father and was pleasantly surprised with his result: ‘The horses went really well in the arena, it was amazing! They normally go in my father’s team. I drove them this year at the selection trials but afterwards they went back to my father. I only started driving them again two weeks ago.’
Double World Champion Vilmos Lazar from Hungary is currently in seventh position and as he won the marathons at the last three international events where he competed, he will certainly go for it tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s marathon at Farma Sielanka, the site of the World Pair Driving Championship in Warka, consists of 18.5 kilometres, including eight challenging obstacles, designed by Germany’s Dr. Wolfgang Asendorf. Both dressage days, the sun was shining all day, but unfortunately the rain has now also reached Warka. The weather forecast gives rain for the next two days, but the organising committee is hoping to welcome several thousands of visitors at their very well organised event.